BY Boima JV.Boima
Photo on Flickr by Toban Black

As the situation of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) continues to pose threat to the development of post war Liberia, journalists from various media entities across the country vowed to wage a “relentless war” on rape and violence against women, thus paving a smooth road for its eradication in the Mano River State of Liberia.

“SGBV as a whole is evil, even though we have been reporting stories on it we still find it looming in our society thus threatening the development process. Therefore, as from today, we will increase our system of reporting all crimes surrounding SGBV across the country,” the journalists unanimously pledged.
The journalists came from diverse media backgrounds across the country to attend a two-day media training on SGBV organized by the Liberian Ministry of Gender and Development at the ministry’s conference hall, also stresses the need for the government to logistically support the police and other security agencies in the rural areas and counties outside Monrovia as well.

“We believe that women and men have equal rights and responsibilities, therefore we strongly oppose any act that may hinder the accordance of this right to women across the country. They (Women) should be given their deserved respect and recognition in our society as they play a vital role in its development processes,” the journalists noted.

The over twenty media practitioners from all the institutions across the country also noted that they will constructively continue to engage all stakeholders in a consultative forum so as to enable them success in the fight against SGBV in the war-torn country.

On her part, the government representative, Annette M.Kiawu, a Deputy Minister for Research and Technical Services at the Ministry of Gender and Development, who delivered the closing remarks at the workshop, commended the journalists for their support and pledged the eradication of the pervading SGBV in the country.

“SGBV does not only mean rape. It goes beyond rape to beating, sexual harrassment, child trafficking, sexual abuses, and other evils levied on women in the country, therefore we encourage you all to focus on these areas while reporting SGBV in the country,” she encouraged.

She also reiterated the need for other civil society and women’s organizations to actively participate in the new drive against the SGBV situation in the country adding that such will help government achieve its Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS).

“Lets put our effort together in fighting against the SGBV in the country,”she said.

Meanwhile there were facilitators from various institutions at the meeting including, Patricia Kamara who gave”the overview of SGBV in Liberia, Deddeh Kwekwe, a coordinator of SGBV at the Ministry of Gender and Development who lectured on “The media and sensitivity,” and James Wolo an UNMIL consultant who lectured on “the role of media on SGBV prevention.”